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Topic Review (Newest First)

03-19-2004 05:43 PM

oldsF85

I live in NY land of rsut and salt and rain and snow and rot and salt in the air from the ocean. My 1964 oldsmoble F-85 has two sweet holes in the frame--and you know what I am not worried i have driven many a rust buckets in my day--thats the fun of it-haha

03-15-2004 09:35 AM

Thom Laybourne

ONE Last Thought

In the area of welding, look for some one that has a protable rig. Maybe you can exchange services. You can do some cleaning for him and he can weld for you. I did my floor pans and was all ready to do the welding. Found a guy in the yellow pages that did portable welding. He came ove to the house welded the pans and was gone in about two hours. And yes, I would still strip the front to get a better look at the work. Worst case you get some experience and then have the junk man take it away.

hr41pearl

03-13-2004 10:46 AM

4 Jaw Chuck

Quote:

And hi 4JawChuck!

Didn't see that was you. Winnipeg cutlass deal fell apart. He was a super guy to talk with (sent tons of photos, videos) but I just couldn't do his price or get him down to mine.

Too bad Erik, it looked good!

03-13-2004 10:10 AM

Hot Rod Hellion

If you have a good frame handy, I would just jump in for the swap. How hard are frames to find where you're at? Those things arent too hard to find out here in Arkansas, and usually in pretty darn good shape.

Lotsa guys have repaired frames, but how good is the guy doing the fix? What are the chances of it breaking again somewhere else? I think piece of mind should be factored into the expenses. (not to mention, a frame full of scab patches won't help the resale value of a muscle car)

03-13-2004 07:14 AM

elukas

"How is the car in the frame area behind the rear wheels. Mich cars are usually gone along with both sides of the trunk."

Somehow its not completely rotten although #37 is behind or in front of (brain fart) the driver's side rear wheel.

"OTOH, if you welded and reinforced it yourself, it would probably work fine. "

The only problem there would be my complete lack of welding skills, experience, knowledge, and equipment

"Personally I'd get another frame. Not that hard of a swap and could be done in a weekend if the other frame had the running gear on it. What is bad is what you cannot see. It looks like the metal is thin along with being cracked. I wouldn't want to put time into it just to have it go bad somewhere else a few miles down the road. The car looks to be in decent shape so it would be worth sticking a frame under. You will also have less time invoolved by swapping one out. The safety factor is the biggest plus."

I understand this, but once again, I'd be having a buddy help me and I'd be paying him some. Plus we'd be using the rope to the ceiling method because we can't place the body on 2x4s because the rocker panels are pretty ready to go/rusty/weak as hell.

And really, I have a strange situation where I have a small service business (pressure washing) once the spring comes around, and demand is so high (sadly I underprice my services) that I can't devote even that weekend to doing it myself. The opportunity cost is too high.

I'm only back in the area of weekends and one those weekends, I have agreed for an extra few % on a big deck job, to get it done by x date, which means it and my family get my time when I'm back home, although the car is almost family.

So that is the only problem with a frame swap.

Plus the friend who would help me is a great guy, but I feel like unless I pushed and actually drove him to the car and stayed there every day, it wouldn't actually get done until next Christmas

"Think of it this way better to find out now then to find out at 80 mph!"

That is very true.

"Any good body shop will have a spreader to push that frame back into place. Yes, they might have you sign a release. As the spreader opens, the break gap will close almost to original. They would weld it and add a patch plate."

Wow, you made it sound so simple.

"Nice car, worth the effort."

It's got it's nicks and dings and problems, but overall, it's a great car.

"That doesn't look to bad I wouldn't hesitate to weld it up I've had many a car that had much worse frame damage than that when I first got it."

Noted. Thank you.

"According to your pics , the "split" that appears to be on top of the frame, by the A/C, could be repaired, depending upon the wall thickness of the area that is to be welded ."

It's still relatively thick around the a/c split.

"Pic # 37 on the other hand appears to be a major problem . It looks like that pc is beyond repair , w/the exception of cutting that section out & replacing it . When the metal flakes as shown in the pic , it is impossible to weld to ."

Yes, I don't know how that area got so bad. It doesn't seem to be anything unusual about where it is that would lead it to decay so much faster than the rest.

It would definitely have to be all the way cut out and replaced.

"If I was going to restore the car , I would put another frame under it . It just seems to be to much going on with the frame to try to salvage it"

There is a lot going on! I would LIKE to just do a frame swap, but like I said, while that is feasible, I don't think money and time wise it's my best solution *unless one of you fine gentlemen close to NW indiana want to take on the task for a little extra cash

"f the frame is in this shape, what is the shape of the under body, I.E. floor boards, trunk, etc. From what I see the car has serious frame issues but items that can be taken care of with a frame swap."

Somehow, the floorboards and trunk are still in great shape. No rusting through anywhere! I don't really understand, it's like some areas of the frame were dipped in acid and salt water their whole lives while others never so much as saw a day of salt before.

"ome 3/16" plate and some hammer forming will get you some patches, if you can use a MIG welder your in business. I've also seen much worse. Make sure you patch only to clean thick metal to tie it all together. If you have a friend that is a professional welder with sheet metal experience, it will be a piece of cake."

I have one last guy in mind who I'm going to ask. He works at Bethlehem Steel and might have some welding experience. But after that, I'm kind of up a creek without a welder.

Thanks for the replies everyone!

-Erik

And hi 4JawChuck!

Didn't see that was you. Winnipeg cutlass deal fell apart. He was a super guy to talk with (sent tons of photos, videos) but I just couldn't do his price or get him down to mine.

03-12-2004 09:49 PM

4 Jaw Chuck

Some 3/16" plate and some hammer forming will get you some patches, if you can use a MIG welder your in business. I've also seen much worse. Make sure you patch only to clean thick metal to tie it all together. If you have a friend that is a professional welder with sheet metal experience, it will be a piece of cake.

Ever seen a car from Toronto? They last 6 years tops out there with all the salt.

03-12-2004 11:47 AM

EBlack36

If the frame is in this shape, what is the shape of the under body, I.E. floor boards, trunk, etc. From what I see the car has serious frame issues but items that can be taken care of with a frame swap.

03-12-2004 07:57 AM

55mole

According to your pics , the "split" that appears to be on top of the frame, by the A/C, could be repaired, depending upon the wall thickness of the area that is to be welded .
Pic # 37 on the other hand appears to be a major problem . It looks like that pc is beyond repair , w/the exception of cutting that section out & replacing it . When the metal flakes as shown in the pic , it is impossible to weld to .
If I was going to restore the car , I would put another frame under it .
It just seems to be to much going on with the frame to try to salvage it . 55mole

03-11-2004 05:33 PM

Robinson Robin

That doesn't look to bad I wouldn't hesitate to weld it up I've had many a car that had much worse frame damage than that when I first got it.

03-11-2004 05:17 PM

Thom Laybourne

Spreader

Any good body shop will have a spreader to push that frame back into place. Yes, they might have you sign a release. As the spreader opens, the break gap will close almost to original. They would weld it and add a patch plate.

The other rust, looks like pictures of the TOE board area? Basically panel rust? Yes, you will have to remove everything forward of the firewall. Should be done anyway to check for other hidden problems. Something caused that and it was not normal driving. Once open you will get a better idea of what you are facing. Cost only time. Take lots of pictures as you take it apart.

hr41pearl

Nice car, worth the effort.

03-11-2004 03:52 PM

Jag Daddy

You might want to look out west for a frame, CA. and AZ might have a rust free one that could be shipped to you for less than the repair of this one. I have seen them box weld a frame for a vette that was severly rusted out. When they were done it was stronger than original. Nice car I'd try and keep it going. Think of it this way better to find out now then to find out at 80 mph!

Regards
Mark

03-11-2004 03:07 PM

Kevin45

Personally I'd get another frame. Not that hard of a swap and could be done in a weekend if the other frame had the running gear on it. What is bad is what you cannot see. It looks like the metal is thin along with being cracked. I wouldn't want to put time into it just to have it go bad somewhere else a few miles down the road. The car looks to be in decent shape so it would be worth sticking a frame under. You will also have less time invoolved by swapping one out. The safety factor is the biggest plus.

Kevin

03-11-2004 01:23 PM

46_stvblt

One thing I know for sure, you can't weld rust. You will have to grind back to solid clean metal then add plate steel and weld it up. Especially time consuming if its difficult to get at. It can be done..Just take your time and try not to cut too much out at one time.....This would be a big liability for someone to take on but as others have said you could do it yourself.......GlennK

03-11-2004 01:09 PM

Busted Knuckles

I think the only reason nobody wants to touch it because of liability issues. If you talked someone into welding it up for you, you could sue him later if something went wrong. OTOH, if you welded and reinforced it yourself, it would probably work fine. And when/if you sold it, you wouldn't know anything about no stinking frame damage. Just say something like, "I dunno, I bought it that way, you mean its not supposed to look like that?" Its a little thing called caveat emptor, which means, buyer beware.

03-11-2004 12:25 PM

BOBCRMAN@aol.com

Yes that crack can be fixed with a weld, then a cover plate welded over to strengthen up the area. In Michigan that would be a "PRIME" resto project! How is the car in the frame area behind the rear wheels. Mich cars are usually gone along with both sides of the trunk.

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